State officials are predicting about 63 percent of registered Michigan voters will cast their votes in this year’s presidential election Tuesday.

The 63 percent expected to turn out is a significant increase from the 1996 presidential election voter turnout, said Julie Pierce, spokeswoman for the secretary of state.

“In 1996 the voter turnout was 58.6 percent, so we are noticing a slight increase,” Pierce said. “It seems voters are interested in the closeness of the presidential race as well as local races and that is what is generating interest.”

Michigan has about 6.9 million registered voters, about half of whom will actually vote, Pierce said. The figures might be conservative or liberal estimates, but either way, between 50 and 70 percent of registered voters will vote for sure, she said.

Low voter turnout could be caused by a number of different reasons, said Ed Sarpolus, vice president of Lansing-based polling firm EPIC/MRA. Sarpolus said it is difficult for students to vote because of laws requiring a person to vote in the location stated on their driver’s license.

“Some registered voters don’t ever visit the polls or cast their ballot because they don’t think their voice will make an impact,” Sarpolus said. “Some are just lazy and think, ‘Why vote when I can go fishing?’”

Michigan voters do have an impact in the race, Pierce said. Since Michigan has 18 electoral votes in the presidential election, the state is referred to as ground-zero because voters know their voices will be heard, Pierce said.

“This state is a battleground during the election,” Pierce said. “Voters here know their opinions will be translated in the polls. Michigan plays a pivotal role in the presidential election.”

Communication Professor Charles Atkin said he agrees the close races are a driving factor for why more voters turn out. He said people feel their votes will matter more when races are closer and inspire the marginal voters to take a stand.

“I think another factor in the increase is the detailed advertising that’s gone on the last couple months,” Atkin said. “People are stimulated by negative advertising - it drives them to vote against the guy they don’t want in office, or the one they think should be.”

Atkin said Texas Gov. George W. Bush has been aggressively attacked by Vice President Al Gore the last few days because Gore is going after the Green Party votes.

“A situation may occur where Bush may win the popular vote for president while Gore is sitting in the White House,” Atkin said.

In presidential elections, it is possible to have more individual votes than your opponent and still lose the election. The winner is determined by who captures the most electoral votes - larger states have more electoral votes.